


Something Like Home

by nhasablog



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Homesickness, M/M, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 12:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9324518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: “I think you lot care more about my homesickness than I do. I’mfine, Thorin.”“I just want you to know that it’s okay if you’renot.”(Or, The company notices that Bilbo is feeling a little homesick.)





	

This forest was too dark. That was the first thing that crossed Bilbo’s mind as he was woken up for another day of wandering. His body twitched instinctively at the thought, longing to curl up in his sleeping bag, but he got up without a word. Complaining got him nowhere with this lot.

Everyone seemed a little down, he noticed as he started helping with breakfast. It was probably the weather. Rain was on its way, and the trees did nothing to provide them with shelter, despite their size. Bilbo knew it was probably an illusion, but he felt as if the forest was laughing at them.

He shuddered, drawing the attention of the king himself. “Are you cold, master burglar?”

“Oh, no, no, I’m fine,” he waved him off, but he could tell from the way Thorin frowned that he didn’t quite believe him.

“If anything is the matter I want you to tell me,” he said, and Bilbo was grateful, but unable to properly show it.

They left their temporary camp as soon as they could, and Bilbo was both relieved and wary as they journeyed even deeper into the forest. These woods felt ominous, and he never liked being in the same place for too long, but he wasn’t sure how much better other parts of the green wilderness were.

“Are you all right, Bilbo?” Bofur asked at one point.

“I’m quite all right, yes,” Bilbo replied, narrowly avoiding getting his face caught on a low branch that had no business being in front of him. “Why do you ask?”

“You seem a little off. Did you sleep badly?”

“Oh.” Bilbo thought back on the night. He didn’t recall waking up until Thorin’s somewhat rude bellow that was aimed for all of them before it was even acceptable to open one’s eyes. “I think I slept well. My back’s not even hurting, so this life must be catching up with me.”

“Maybe you’re homesick,” Kíli added from behind them. “You’ve never been this far from home, have you?”

“I haven’t, no. Maybe it _is_ homesickness. I haven’t really paid any attention to it as I know it doesn’t matter.”

“Of course your feelings matter,” Fíli said, and Bilbo turned back briefly to see him frown. “If you’re not feeling well you should at least get the liberty of acknowledging it.”

Bilbo shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He refused to look at Thorin. “Feelings are temporary, and besides-” He straightened his back. “-this journey is too important for my feelings to get in the way.”

The amount of strength that had taken to say and believe was astounding. He’d never felt this selfless. Maybe this journey would be good for him, if he came out of it alive.

They finally settled down for a break and a late meal. As Bilbo stumbled toward a fallen tree to sit on, he couldn’t help but notice that Thorin was behind him, as if imitating his movements. They sat together on the damp stem with their lunches in their hands. The rest of the company opted for slightly more comfortable seats on the ground. Bilbo wasn’t sure why his and Thorin’s somewhat secluded positions made him nervous.

“I feel like something should’ve attacked us by now,” he said, glancing sideways at Thorin.

Thorin hummed, but Bilbo could feel it rather than hear it. He hadn’t noticed how close they were. “We shouldn’t let our guards down just yet,” Thorin replied.

Bilbo snorted. “Or ever.”

That got a small smile out of the king. “Or ever,” he agreed.

“Do you ever get tired of it?” Bilbo asked, taking a bite out of his food. “Being a leader, I mean. It’s a big burden for one dwarf.”

“I have no choice.”

“I know, but do you ever get _tired_ of it? Don’t you ever wake up and wish you could be someone else, at least for just a moment so that you can breathe?”

Thorin hesitated for a second too long. “I do.”

Bilbo sighed. “After we’ve gotten your mountain back I’m inviting you over to the Shire for a year. We’ll pretend I won’t let you leave. No one will dare cross me.”

Thorin laughed. “I already look forward to it.”

“Good. You need a vacation.”

“A king’s duties never end.” He paused. “But a vacation sounds nice.”

“I think you’d like the Shire. You’ve only seen it during one season.”

“You’re quite fond of it, aren’t you?”

“Well, it’s my home.”

“Do you miss it?”

“The Shire?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t been gone for too long.”

“But do you miss it?”

“…I do.”

“So my nephew was right. You’re homesick.”

“I have no right to be.” Thorin didn’t say anything now, but just looked confused. “I mean,” Bilbo scrambled to explain. “You haven’t been home in ages. I’ve only been away for a few months. If one of us should be homesick it should be you.”

“You can’t control your feelings, master burglar. Just because I have it worse it doesn’t mean you’re not suffering as well.”

Bilbo, for some reason, felt his face heat up. “I’m fine.”

“You keep saying that, but I don’t entirely believe you’re speaking the truth.”

“You have trust issues.”

Thorin laughed again. “Maybe I do, but I want you to know that you don’t have to pretend to be strong all the time around us. I know I gave you a hard time before, and for that I apologize. You don’t have to tiptoe around me anymore.”

Bilbo averted his eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

He looked at his food. “Let’s eat.”

He could somehow tell Thorin was smiling. “Let’s eat.”

* * *

 

“You and uncle looked cozy earlier,” Kíli said after they’d started wandering again. “What were you talking about that seeme so intense?”

Bilbo shot him a look. “That’s between me and your uncle, don’t you think?”

Kíli waved a hand at him. “I’m family.”

“That’s no reason.”

“I’m curious?”

“Not saying.”

Fíli appeared at their side. “Maybe we could persuade you.”

“Oh? And how would you do that?”

“By using the cruelest torture of them all.”

Bilbo didn’t have time to ask before fingers wiggled against his sides, making him jump away with a laugh. “Don’t _do_ that-”

“A bit ticklish, master burglar?” Something in Fíli’s voice almost scared him.

“I do admit I’m a little sensitive-”

“Oh, good.”

“Hey!” He escaped Fíli and Kíli’s threatening hands, putting several bodies between them before he slowed down. “Stay away from me.”

The young dwarves were laughing, and despite his current ordeal he had to confess that it was rather nice to see them so carefree.

“If anyone ever wants to cheer our burglar up you can just tickle him,” Kíli announced to the group. “That’ll do it.”

“The same way it works on the two of you, you mean?” Dwalin said, drawing protests from them both.

Bilbo was happy to see that Dwalin’s comment worked great as a distraction to get everyone’s attention off of him, but it didn’t escape him that Thorin kept sending him looks he couldn’t interpret. Someone must’ve cast a spell on him to constantly make him nervous around the king. Or maybe it was the food.

The next time they took a break Bilbo felt as if his body would never stop aching. They encountered trouble during the day all right, but he felt relatively secure as they stopped for the night in yet another temporary camp. Everyone seemed exhausted, so he decided not to bother anyone and settled down in his own little corner after supper. He didn’t feel much like talking anyway. He’d had this feeling in his chest all day that kept bothering him. He now realized it was some kind of longing for home, or at least something like home. He was homesick, but that was to be expected.

He somehow wasn’t very surprised when Thorin joined him.

“At first I thought you kept to yourself because you didn’t really know anyone in the company,” he said as he sat down. “Then I thought it was because you thought you were disliked, but you know everyone here is fond of you, so now my guess is that you enjoy the alone time.”

He turned to Bilbo, his gaze challenging him to deny it.

Bilbo just shrugged. “I’ve always liked being alone from time to time. To collect my thoughts and calm my mind.”

“Do you do it often?”

“Well, I live alone, so pretty much during the majority of my day.”

“Does this remind you of home then? Am I bothering you?”

“Oh, no, no. It’s not even a little bit like home, and you’re not bothering me at all.”

“I thought perhaps you kept seeking loneliness in order to handle your homesickness, and I wanted to tell you that you don’t have to do it on your own.”

“I think you lot care more about my homesickness than I do. I’m _fine_ , Thorin.”

“I just want you to know that it’s okay if you’re _not_.”

Thorin was smiling, so Bilbo knew that he was aware of the fact that he was nagging.

Bilbo pointed at him. “Thorin Oakenshield, are you being annoying on purpose?”

“Annoying? I would _never_.”

“Oh, you-” He didn’t finish his sentence as they both were laughing. They weren’t even really sure _why_ , but Bilbo waving his arms around didn’t help.

“Laughing quite suits you,” Thorin said once they’d calmed down. “You should do it more often.”

“You’re one to talk. I wasn’t sure you even knew what laughing was.”

“Fíl and Kíli are my nephews. I’m quite familiar with laughing.” He reached out and his fingers collided with Bilbo’s side. “I’m also quite familiar with this.”

“Oh, Eru, no. No more tickling, don’t-” The rest of his sentence was rudely cut off by giggles escaping from his lips.

This was all way too bizarre.

Thorin trapped him between his body and a boulder, his hands everywhere all at once in the most unbearable way. Bilbo had always been ridiculously ticklish, but no one had used it against him since his childhood. He would’ve thought he’d grown out of it by now.

In the midst of all his almost hysterical laughter he couldn’t help but wonder if Thorin shared this trait.

Thorin didn’t torture him for long, since they couldn’t afford being too loud unless they wanted to attract the attention of everything in the vicinity of this forest. They were too close to Erebor to be killed because of something like this.

Bilbo gasped for breath once Thorin had backed off, and the whole situation made him feel giddy.

Thorin’s smile didn’t help. “As previously stated, you should laugh more.”

“I’m going to get my revenge. You mark my words.” Bilbo sat up properly. “But for now I will pretend as if the entirety of the company isn’t staring at us.”

“Let them stare. They’re in need of some entertainment.”

“Was that a joke?” Bilbo grinned. “Can Thorin Oakenshield make jokes?”

“Only when he isn’t being a leader.”

“You’re not my leader then?”

“You don’t need one.”

“I would be honored to consider you mine.”

Thorin stood up. “Get some rest, master burglar. Home isn’t far away.”

“To be quite honest with you, something like home is more than enough.”

He wasn’t lying.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com)


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